“I went yesterday,” TJ said. “Trey had cookies in the barn.”
“TJ,” Beth said, bending down and taking her son’s chin lightly in her fingers. “You have to tell me when you’re going from now on, okay? Then I can text Trey so he can watch out for you.”
“Okay,” her son said.
Beth smiled at him. “Good boy,” she said just as Sally said, “Hello, everyone.”
“Hey.” Beth turned toward her sister and swooped her into a hug. “How are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.” It wasn’t true; her sister had come over just last week for peaches. It just felt like a lot of distance existed between them.
“Good.” Sally held her tight, and Beth heard everything her sister wanted to say.I’m sorry. I miss you too. I will try to do better.
After several seconds, Sally released her and hugged Kait too. Her youngest, Myra, had climbed onto the bench with Lucas, and TJ stood in front of both of them while Lucas showed them something on a portable game device.
Kait looked at the kids. “You guys really think Hugh can handle these three kids?”
“It’s two hours,” Beth said. “He’ll be fine.”
“That’s right, he’ll be fine.” Her brother sidled up beside Beth and gave her a quick side-hug. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, sis.” He grinned at Sally and stepped over to hug her too. “How’s Mick?”
“Still in Philadelphia,” Sally said, an icy note to her voice. Awkwardness descended on them, and Hugh nodded as if he understood. Beth wasn’t sure she did, but she didn’t feel like it was the right time to ask either.
Sally was always so buttoned-up. She’d always been that way. Reserved, her father said. She came off as conceited, in Beth’s opinion, though she wasn’t. Once she opened up, she was kind and thoughtful, and she’d never want to hurt someone.
“All right, kids,” Hugh said. “I have ice cream. Who wants to go over to the park and then go to a movie?”
TJ raised his hand and bounced on the balls of his feet. Hugh laughed as he swept her son into his arms, and he took Lucas’s game machine and handed it to his wife. “We don’t need that, bud. All right, there’s only one rule today, okay?”
He set TJ on the bench, the three kids lined up. “Two rules. Number one: no crying for your mommas. They’re going to be busy and then they’re going to be back. It’s not a big deal.” He held up another finger. “Two: you have to stay where I can see you at all times. All the time.” He reached out and tapped his son’s knee. “Did you hear me, Lucas?”
“Yes, sir,” his son said.
“If you don’t, Iwillput the leash on you.” Hugh sounded like he meant it too, and Beth believed him.
“Let’s go,” Kait said, releasing the brake on the stroller. “We have a lot to do today and not much time.” She turned back to her husband and kissed him quickly. “Thanks, baby. See you at four.”
“Yes, thank you, Hugh,” Beth murmured.
“Find the perfect dress,” Hugh said, straightening and smiling at her. “I just can’t believe you’re going to marry him so fast.”
A river of unease ran through Beth, but she pasted a smile over it. “I just figured—what am I waiting for? He’s great, and there’s no reason to wait.”
She nearly buckled under the weight of both Sally’s and Kait’s gazes, but Hugh just chuckled and shook his head. “He’s a lucky guy, then.”
Beth nodded and stepped away. Kait quickly fell into step beside her, as did Sally. “The best bridal shop is just down here,” Kait said. Now that she wasn’t teaching, she did a few private wedding consultations from time to time. Usually for the most high-profile weddings in Kentucky—those who had millions to spend to rent out the nicest facilities, feed eight hundred people at a distillery or winery, and buy designer dresses in New York City.
She came from a family of wedding planners that were heavily entrenched in the business, and when Beth had called her and said she was getting married in less than three weeks, Kait had just sat on the phone for several long seconds, stunned.
Then she’d flown into action, securing this appointment for a last-minute wedding dress and organizing babysitting for Beth and Sally so they could come too. Hugh worked as a private consultant for a tourism company, and his schedule was fairly flexible, thankfully.
“What are you thinking for food?” Kait asked. She and Beth had been texting almost non-stop about the dresses and the venue, the décor and the cake. Nothing about food yet.
“Trey is going to cater it,” Beth said quietly. “Actually, his mother is taking care of it, so it should be nice.”
“Julie Chappell? I would think so,” Sally said. “She’s organized some of the biggest fundraising dinners in the state.”
Beth pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yes, we met with her on Saturday.”
“You don’t know the menu?” Kait asked.